Alkyl mercury poisoning in humans: report of an outbreak.

Three members of a family of nine that ingested mercury-contaminated pork became ill with classic symptoms of methylmercury poisoning and rapidly progressed to coma or semicomatose states. Treatment with dimercaprol (BAL in Oil) and n-acetyl-d, I-penicillamine was not associated with significant immediate clinical improvement, although both drugs appeared to increase urinary excretion of mercury. All three patients improved considerably but still remain severely impaired. A case of congenital methylmercury poisoning also resulted from the outbreak. To our knowledge, this is the first known instance in the United States of methylmercury poisoning resulting from ingestion of mercury-contaminated meat.